


The Art of War

by Lolamz



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, oc: knightmare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:22:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25845757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolamz/pseuds/Lolamz
Summary: THIS WORK HAS BEEN REMASTERED, SEE BELOWwar has been declared on hallownest, and the higher beings must form an alliance of all the factions of hallownest, to defendthis is set in an AU- a link to a document containing the differences between canon and this AU can be found here-https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kfVPNh40JyLZOupOpJOc_ZK3lMnhdD6NX9MiFvpnVK4/editThe character Knightmare, is my OC, who's profile and art can be found through this link- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ye7l3hSzchWSE8lB_k9aQgqv2lb2B3bjpkfJJH0HIio/edit
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

“Check” said Lurien.  
Monomon sighed, before blocking Lurien's rook with her pawn. “What did the intel say?”  
“The husks in the far lands are planning something, my knights are unsure as to what, but our early intel suggests they want-” he stopped, to take Monomon’s queen off the board, “to declare war.”  
Monomon took the opportunity to take Lurien’s queen, evening the board, “war? On Hallownest?”  
“Yes, I believe they see our lack of a king as a weakness. They will soon learn that it's our greatest strength.” Lurien began, as he advanced his bishop, “all my loyalties aside, he wasn't the greatest ruler.”  
“Oh, look at you! Blaspheming against the wyrm. Did you notify the others?” Monomon replied, blocking his advancement.  
“Messengers have been sent to deepnest and the hive. I have also spoken with Grimm, alerting him of what’s to come.”  
“Is he willing to help?”  
“Yes.” Lurien replied, before pushing his bishop once more.  
“Checkmate.” Monomon replied, placing her knight in the fatal position for Lurien’s king.  
“Well played, teacher. Perhaps we rematch soon?”

That night, the higher council assembled. The dreamers, as well as vespa and Grimm had all been notified. The white lady was yet to find the news, as was their most recent addition to the council.  
“Unn, welcome to the council.” the white lady began.  
“Greetings. Root, teacher, watcher, hive queen, and beast. It is a pleasure to see hallownest run by such- capable leaders.”  
“Higher beings, my scouts have returned from the far lands with pressing news. Their armies have been plotting…”  
“Plotting? For what? Asked unn.  
“War.” Monomon replied.  
“Oh my heavens above, war on hallownest!” the white lady gasped, “our kingdom!”  
“Yes, it is unfortunate,” Herrah said, “but we are not alone in this.”  
“I assume you all have some sort of plan right?” the white lady asked.  
“Plan? not yet, but troops? Definitely.” vespa replied. “Bumble is training our new battalion of knights in preparation.”  
“Hornet has managed to convince the mantis sisters to aid our cause.” Herrah added, “My lady, how goes your cure on the traitor lord?”  
“I believe he is sane once again. He retains his strength and brutal nature, but his mind is now his own once again. I can only hope the lords accept him.”  
“And Grimm? Are you and the Knightmare able to assist in this?”  
“As hallownest is known to the heart as the one that saved it, we shall be more than happy to serve in defending your kingdom. Myself and the Knightmare are ready.”  
“Wonderful, your powers will be useful to us, thank you.” Monomon replied.

“Now, onto the other part of tonight's meeting, we must discuss strategy. We do not know how large the far lander’s army is, nor how coordinated they are. However, we must assume the worst.” Lurien began, before drawing up an ethereal map of the howling cliffs. “The watcher knights and the hive knights shall hold the front line. Their sheer numbers should allow them to wipe out a significant portion of the enemy. I will be by their side-”  
“Lurien, you cannot go alone, I shall join you on the front lines.” vespa interrupted. “It's far too dangerous for you to be so far forward, with no means of escape should it all go south.”  
“Very well, myself and Vespa will hold the front lines, with our corresponding armies. Should they fall, we shall retreat, and fall back to dirtmouth. The town will be evacuated, and that shall be where you, hornet and the lords hold the line,” Lurien said, glancing at Herrah.  
“And what about us, watcher?” Grimm asked, a little bored.  
“I want the both of you to provide the necessary cover to allow us to retreat if needed. Walls of flame, deafeningly loud music, just some way to hold them off while myself and vespa retreat.”  
“Are we allowed to kill?” Grimm asked.  
“No, of course not. It's not like we’re at WAR or anything…” Herrah replied sarcastically, “Burn them all!”  
“She's right. You have permission to act with lethality-” Lurien was interrupted as a siren in the real world was sounding, which dragged him out of the dreamsleep. The rest of the higher beings were also dragged out, by their own sirens.

*  
“Alright! Lieutenants, masters, sisters!” minerva began, “hallownest is soon to be under siege. We have been commanded by the higher beings to join forces with those from the deepnest, to hold off the assault.”  
“So, a truce?” a mantis soldier asked.  
“Effectively, yes. We shall be fighting alongside them.”

*  
“Knightmare, i need to speak with you.” Grimm said, interrupting the rehearsal.  
“How important is it? We’re nearly finished.”  
“Its very important, come now.” he replied, before returning to his office, Knightmare following him swiftly.  
“What is it, master?”  
“Hallownest is soon to be at war with the husks of the far lands. They have requested us as their backup.”  
“Very well master, I shall put my abilities to good use in the upcoming combat.”  
“That's the spirit! I can't wait to see how much you can do with the heart’s power!”

*  
“Oro, mato, sheo,” hornet began, “i implore you, please, you must set aside your differences. Hallownest is in danger!”  
“I'm not fighting unless he’s nowhere near me!” oro shouted.  
“And why’s that? Can’t bear to see me fight better than you?” mato sneered.  
“Brothers! Please! I can't watch you tear your relationships apart! Should you not fight by each other's sides, you may watch yourselves die!”  
Oro and mato stopped arguing. Sheo was right, they needed to set aside their differences. At the end of the day, they're family, and they cannot be the cause for each other's deaths.  
“Im willing to do it.” mato concluded, offering his hand to oro. Oro reluctantly shook it.   
“To the end of the line.” oro replied.


	2. Chapter 2

“Attention!”   
The watcher knights stood instinctively at the call, holding a salute as Lurien entered the barracks. They were stationed in a small battle camp on the outskirts of dirtmouth, preparing for the assault.   
“At ease,” Lurien said, allowing the knights to take seats on their beds as he briefed them, “more intel has returned. An undercover agent has discovered that they will be attacking in one, massive wave. Thus, we have changed our plans. Squadron A, squadron D, you will be holding with hive knight battalions B and C, and vice versa, squadrons B and C will be with battalions A and D. Is that understood?”  
“Yes commander!” the knights shouted in unison.

*  
“Yes queen!” the knights shouted in unison.  
“In addition to this,” vespa continued, “the plan has been changed. You must watch for a crimson flare. At this point, fall back and hold a perimeter. The dreamers tell me we have some form of secret weapon that we will bring out, should the situation call for it.”  
“Why can't we just use the weapon immediately?” bumble asked.  
“Because it can cause immense collateral damage,” Vespa replied “some of which may be irreversible. We need all of you to be safe to avoid it, clear?”   
“Clear!” the knights replied.

*  
Meanwhile, the palace had become a white fortress, guarded by kings moulds and reinforced with pale steel. Inside this, the white lady and the grimm troupe resided. The white lady was unable to fight, and so remained safe in the palace, while Monomon remained hidden in the archives, watching the battle with her newly developed recon drones, which fed a live feed to the screens in the archives. From there she was able to give information to the generals on the ground.  
“Lurien, vespa, tell your knights to be ready, I see approaching husks from the cliffs.” Monomon commanded.  
“Copy” they both replied in unison.

*  
“When do we get to go? Im itching for a fight!” Knightmare asked.  
“Easy there. The heart may be getting a little too excited. You must remain patient, once the battle calls, we shall strike!” Grimm replied, “my lady,” he continued, turning his attention to the root, “who is our missing part? I see three transcendence pads, but only two of us…”  
“The mantis lord, known to many as the traitor, but to us as Talos will be joining you. I have been able to free his mind from the infection, yet his strength and inner rage remains. He will be a vital asset to our strike force-” the white lady began, before being cut off as the mantis entered the palace armoury.  
“Queen, thank you, i am free,” he began, “i shall work with these fighters to destroy those who threaten my family!”  
“Yes, you should be there to protect your sisters. I want you to stand by their side once your call is heard.” the white lady said.

*  
Back above ground, the mantis lords had rendezvoused with the knights, and had joined the formation. In the distance, the shouts of the oncoming assault could be heard, the rumbling footsteps as thousands of husks bound over the horizon.  
“Defensive stances!” Lurien shouted, the watcher knights swiftly obeying, holding shields to protect their fronts while they held their nail upwards.  
“Take flight, my warriors!” vespa commanded. Moments later, one could hear no more than the buzzing of a thousand bees, as they all took flight, and engaged in position as the oncoming crowd came ever closer.  
“When do we engage?” vespa whispered to Lurien, “we can't just stand here all day.”  
“We engage once they are close, I will give the calm to my knights, before joining them.”  
“I shall join you too,” vespa added quickly.

“Take their kingdom! Take their kingdom! Take their kingdom!” the chants of the opposing army were now fully audible, a sign they were close.  
“Now! Attack! Show them the might of our kingdom!” Lurien bellowed, before jumping down from the high ground that he and vespa stood on. He charged into battle, unsheathing his nail as both the watcher and hive knights clashed with the far landers. Sounds of nail on shell and clashes of nail on nail could be heard across the lands, as the watcher and hive knights pushed the oncoming forces away. They battled in perfect unison- as one watcher knight was about to be overrun, the hive warriors would pick off the husks one by one. At the same time, the mantis lords were taking on the horde from a flanked angle, rapidly depleting the army from behind.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard, close by to the main battle. Vespa paused to look at what caused it. A much larger far lander, larger than many watcher knights stacked on top of one another, was dashing towards the battle. The mantis lords saw the approach of the massive husk and immediately darted towards it, focusing all their attacks onto any weak points they could find. Their spears clashed and struck the hard shell of the husk, but it tossed them aside like meaningless junk, before moving to strike them with its massive mace.

“Lurien!” vespa called, “to the west! The lords are in trouble!” Lurien glanced over and saw the massive husk toss the lords aside, and reached into his cloak.  
“KNIGHTS! FALL BACK TO THE PERIMETER!” Lurien yelled, before tossing something into the air. It flew up, and at the apex of its throwing arc, it exploded like a beautiful, crimson firework- the signal.

Monomon watched in terror from her drones as the mantis lords were thrown to the dirt. Moments later, a drone flashed red, its camera capturing the firework. Monomon quickly sent a message to the white lady, instructing her to send the strike force up.

“Grimm, Knightmare, Talos, you’re up.” she said, before getting ready to transcend them out of the dream realm and onto the battlefield. The three of them exploded into essence as the white lady teleported them all to the howling cliffs.

*  
“Gah! Im hit!” Minerva yelled. The other lords quickly ran to her aid, and crossed their spears, in order to brace for the incoming mace. But moments before the attack landed, a flash of essence appeared next to them, and Talos came sprinting through it, catching the mace with his immense strength.  
“GO!” he yelled.  
“Talos! Why are you here? How are you not dead? Why aren't you-” minerva asked  
“NO QUESTIONS! GO!” he interrupted, before pushing the mace aside. As he carried the injured lord away, the two other sisters cleared a path through the horde, as another two essence flashes appeared on either side of the mantises. Grimm and Knightmare took their stances, ready to attack the husk once the coast was clear

*  
“Knightmare, are you ready?”  
“Am I ready? You better try and keep up with me master!” knightmare said enthusiastically, before dashing up towards the husk. Grimm focused, before performing a masterful pirouette, covering his body in flames as he transformed from troupe master to nightmare king. Knightmare took the husk head on, creating falling flames that set the husk alight, before letting loose a bellowing blaze, which caused massive damage to the husks shell, damaging the outer coating. Grimm snapped his fingers, conjuring a large fireball, and casting it towards the husk’s head. As it connected, it exploded in a brilliant fiery blast, staggering the husk.   
“Go Knightmare, go! I shall hold off the horde while the others fall back!” grimm shouted, before lifting his cloak and sending a barrage of ethereal flame bats hurtling towards the horde, before teleporting directly into the horde, battling them all at once, his immense strength and magical power providing more than enough firepower to hold them off.

Meanwhile, Knightmare prepared his nail. He watched closely as the husk stood up from its stagger, and planned his actions as it readied itself for another attack.  
‘It swings at me, I jump on the mace, run up the mace while firing shaded flames, then strike its head.’ he thought to himself, watching the husk shrug off its daze and prepare itself.  
And sure enough, the husk began to swing its mace towards Knightmare. He quickly strafed out of the way, before sprinting up the weapon. He stopped as it lifted the mace, taking the time to conjure up a ball of void and fire, before throwing it at the husk. He jumped off the mace, using the momentum to launch himself higher, before slashing at the husk’s mask, knocking it to the ground as it bled from the face.  
“You leave my kingdom ALONE!” he yelled, stabbing his balde deep into the gashing wound he formed seconds ago, before channeling a massive burst of flames through his nightmare nail, ending the husks life.

However, the battle had only just begun, as once the first massive husk had been killed, second and third climbed out from the ground, awakening from countless months of undercover. Grimm and knightmare looked up from the dead husk corpse they had created, and the pair of them glanced at each other.  
“Can you fight this?” grimm asked.  
“I'll try…” he said, wiping his brow and catching his breath, “just… give me a moment.”  
“It's alright if you cannot, the others should have this. The nail masters, sentinel and queen, and the mantis lords can all have a say in this, do not risk your life here!”  
“Master, I must fight for this kingdom!”  
“But I cannot risk your demise, fall back with me!” grimm ordered, teleporting over to Knightmare, and bringing them both back to the white palace

As the two nightmare beings retreated, Herrah and hornet dashed over to one of the husks, while the nail masters took the other.

“Brothers!” Sheo called, “We fight as one, in the name of hallownest!” Oro and Mato jumped high, landing individual blows on either side of its head, as Sheo landed a great slash, knocking the husk off balance, while the others went blow for blow, knocking at it’s head over and over at it, before jumping off as its body collapsed to the floor. Before it even had a chance to get up, Oro took a step back, before dashing at its skull and shattering it with a dash slash, while Mato span in a circle, his cyclone slash knocking the cracked parts of its shell off, allowing Sheo to drive his nail into the wound.

Meanwhile, Hornet and Herrah took on the other husk much faster. Hornet wound a length of pale silk around its legs, while Herrah threw needles into its shell. Before pulling on the thread in the needles, which then toppled the husk. The pair of them then wrapped silk around the husk’s head, before Herrah pulled on it with her immense, beastly strength, shattering its skull from the tension of the silk.

*  
“Yes!” Monomon shouted to herself, celebrating the victory the others created. However, Lurien knew this wasn't the end. The fight was far from over. Vespa knew it too, something in their war experience told them the battle was not over...


	3. Chapter 3

*The fight was far from over. Vespa knew it too, something in their war experience told them the battle was not over…*

“Ah, Hallownest” said a voice, “the kingdom that resisted…”  
“Who’s there?” Herrah asked into the mist.  
“That's not important…” the figure said, showing his face from the dust cloud, “what is important, is that this kingdom is mine!”  
“Try as you might, but this kingdom is ours!” Vespa shouted, raising her nail, “myself, sentinel, beast and watcher will not let you win!”  
Hornet dashed towards the figure, the others swiftly following, but as Hornet collided with him, he tossed her aside, before parrying Vespa's strike and knocking her into Herrah, staggering the three of them.

*  
“Hornet, we must leave, this foe is far too powerful for the pair of us!” Herrah whispered to Hornet  
“But what about Vespa? she may fall!” Hornet replied, trying not to attract the attention of the  
“Tis the cost of war… we lose close ones, but if we can retreat and regroup, we may be able to win the battle.” Herrah replied, before the pair of them scurried away.

*  
“Oh look, the others left you. Cowards!” he said, walking towards Vespa.  
Vespa crawled backwards, trying to retain a distance from the attacker, “they are not cowards, you're playing into our plan.” she said through gritted teeth. However, this was merely a way of staling him, since the whole plan had gone to shambles  
“Oh? Am i now? Tell me, little hive queen, was this part of your plan? To sacrifice your pathetic little hive knight?” he taunted, tossing Bumble’s barely conscious corpse to the ground.  
“You get your dirty hands off him!” she screamed, the rage inside her providing her an unprecedented strength. She landed what would've been a devastating blow onto the figure, but he shrugged it off like it was nothing. However this bought enough time for Bumble to scramble to Hornet and Herrah, where they escaped down the well.

“Look around you! This war was nothing more than a charade! Those husks were my pawns in this game, and I, the leader, will take this kingdom by my own hand!”  
Vespa looked around. She saw destruction. The hollow shells of the watcher knights lay scattered, the battalions of bees had been wiped out, their dead bodies scattered across the dirt.  
“And where was that, watcher of yours? You said four names, and I was only able to destroy three. You wouldn't deceive me out of my first treat as king, would you?”

“No, she wouldn't…” said a voice from the distance, “and you are no king!”  
“Lurien! Where did you go?” Vespa replied, as lurien hurried into view.  
“Where i went wasn't important, but what i did there was-”  
“Stop talking to my prisoner!” the figure bellowed over Lurien, throwing his nail at breakneck speed. Lurien, unphased by the threat, parried the incoming nail, before approaching Vespa.  
“My lady, you must go, i can handle this.” Lurien said calmly, placing a hand on her arm. Vespa nodded, grasping his arm as he pulled her up.  
“You cannot let my prize flee like that!” the figure shouted, enraged.  
“Do as I would, and watch. Watch as I free your ‘prize’. Watch as this kingdom you ‘own’ falls back into its rightful hands.”  
“You dare challenge me?! Raise your weapon and fight!”

*  
The pair of them dashed at each other. Lurien was able to match the intruder blow for blow, despite his immense strength and speed.  
“Gah! How can a weakling like you face off against me?!” he shouted, before landing a devastating blow onto Lurien, shattering his mask. Lurien let out a gasp, holding his face in his hands, covering the gaping wound.  
“Tell me watcher..” the figure said, grabbling Lurien by the neck, “why don't you bleed?”  
“It's a secret- given- by my father-”  
“And who was that? Who taught you to hide your pain?” he said, tossing Lurien onto the ground, and preparing to finish him off. But Lurien wasn't done. As the nail struck his chest, a flash of blinding white light shone across them, as the figure was sent staggering backwards. 

Lurien began to levitate. His body floated into the sky, a pale beam shone down from the heavens like a spotlight on a stage. Lurien reawoke as he ascended, and focused. Out of his back grew four pale, monarch wings. His nail grew pure, his body coated in steel armour, his mind cleansed. The white lady felt a shift in the higher balance. Monomon felt it too, as well as Herrah, Vespa and Hornet. The presence of a new pale being.

Lurien landed on the ground, grasping his nail in one hand, holding his arm out in another. “The wyrm was my father. From a far away time, he raised me into a warrior. Loyal and devoted to him, he chose me to take his place after his demise, and this, is where I make my stand.”

“You- DARE! This kingdom is mine!” The fighter yelled, throwing all his strength and might into a strike. Lurien remained still, his arm out in front of him. As the fighter closed in, he pulsed his hand, and the fighter was sent cascading backwards. Lurien then took flight, catching up to him at an accelerating pace, striking the fighter with vanquishing blows, each causing excessive damage to his body, until it lay dying in the dirt.

“Why did you wish to take this kingdom?” Lurien asked the fallen fighter  
“I was promised a land, a kingdom e-eternal.”  
“Who promised this to you?”  
“The same wyrm who raised you as a warrior.” The fighter spluttered.  
“...brother?” Lurien asked, “is that you virgil?”  
“You have bested me Lurien, both before and now. I can wish only the best for your new life."  
But-“ he coughed mid sentence, spluttering blood as he spoke, “you still have- much to learn.” He said hoarsely, before collapsing.

*  
The higher council meeting that night was a rather strange one. The others insisted that Lurien should become king, even the white lady was willing to give up her overruling power to him- “after all, you are the next of kin.” She said  
“My lady, please,” Lurien began, “I do not wish to be king. Nor do I wish for overruling votes or power. This kingdom was never to last under the reign of one.”  
“Then what do you want?” Monomon asked.  
“My only wish is for nothing to change. We all keep our positions in the council. We work better as a group anyway.”  
“But your ascent,” Grimm interrupted, “your transcendence-“  
It was nothing more than growth, as your child would under a nightmare flame. That doesn't make them king of the nightmares.”  
“The ritual states it does.” Grimm corrected, “but i see what you mean.”  
“I see it too,” unn chimed in, “you don't want to be king solely because you metamorphosed. You want to earn it.”  
“Sort of. I don't want to be king- at all.” He explained. “Royalty is not my thing, I shall leave the politics to you, root, as we leave research to Monomon and battle tactics to myself and Vespa.”  
“Are you sure?” The white lady asked, “a queen is no queen without her king, is she not?”  
“Speaking from experience,” Vespa said, “that's not true.”  
“Agreed.” Herrah contributed, “a queen can be independant, strong, and powerful with no need for a king.”

*  
“Check”  
Monomon sighed, before blocking Lurien's rook with her pawn. “So when did you know- that- was going to happen?”  
“When I retreated, I fell back to the crossroads to find hegemony's pale elegy. It's a manuscript to be recited by one true, and I realised once Virgil showed up I had no choice but to try it. I guess my pale heritage led the gods to believe I was true.”  
“Pale elegy? What are those? Do you still have it?”  
“I'm storing it in a safe room, somewhere in the palace, perhaps later I may show it to you. The king gave each knight one. If they were to recite it, and be deemed true, they would be given a power that rivalled the wyrm.”  
“I wonder how he would feel knowing you didn't take after him, in becoming king.” Monomon said, advancing her own rook and changing the subject.  
“I feel he would understand, but part of me knows he would be disappointed.” He replied, pressuring Monomon’s knight with his bishop.  
“And what about Virgil? I never knew you had a brother.”  
“My father banished him to the far lands, after his greed became too great. He promised us both eternal kingdoms, but Virgil wanted more, while i was humbled to share a kingdom under his name, to serve under him and his queen. It seems Virgil wanted the throne more than ever now that the wyrm is dead.”  
“Do you ever think your father would’ve done what you did? Kill your sibling to save the kingdom?”  
“No, he would have hidden away in the palace as the war raged.” Lurien said satirically, “he really wasn't a good leader, and come to think of it, not a good father either, to me or the vessels.”  
“Well, I guess it's better he's gone. His records in the archives always seemed a little- off. Stuff about him single handedly winning wars, defeating foes many magnitudes stronger than him, and they also state he beat me in chess-“ Monomon stopped to deliver yet another fatal blow to Lurien’s king, this time with her queen, “-and that one is clearly untrue.”  
“Ah, Well played!” Lurien congratulated, shaking monomon’s hand.

As Monomon left the office, Virgil’s own words were carried with Lurien as he dreamt. ‘Much to learn’- he had a long way to go to fill his father’s mold, even if he wasn't following in his footsteps as a monarch, there was still much to be done to become a better being.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Art of War (REMASTERED)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28637757) by [Lolamz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolamz/pseuds/Lolamz)




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